The largest free-standing mountain in
the world is losing its brilliant distinguishing feature by which it
is recognised from afar. Since 1912 the ice cover at the top
of the 5895 m tall, no longer active, volcano in northern Tanzania
has shrivelled from an area of 12 km2 to the present two
square kilometres.

Scientists view this as
a global tendency. In the past few years the many ice fields
of the Himalayas and across the Andes as far as Antarctica have been
studied - and everywhere the ice is shrinking and regressing.
Scientists think that global warming is to blame.

If the greenhouse effect strengthens
the snow-cap on the tallest African mountain will have vaporised
away by the year 2020. The air temperature will be so high that the
ice will not only liquidise, but will sublime directly into water
vapour. That also explains the fact that in spite of the
melting ice many rivers in the region are carrying less and less
water or completely drying up.

First published
in this format in Nova Irlanda Esperantisto No 57 2003